Climate Action This Week: 
  • Improving Washington’s solid waste management outcomes through the WRAP Act
  • Prohibiting minimum parking requirements near public transportation
  • Build Clean vs. Buy Clean, Buy Fair
  • Ending Long-Term Solitary Confinement
  • Oppose Aviation & Aerospace Advisory Committee
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Question Title

* Your information

Pick as many or as few actions as you’d like. Remember to scroll down and click the orange “DONE” button when you finish.

Thank you for taking action with the 350 WA Civic Action Team!
We think these first two actions will take about 10-15 minutes.
📜 1. Improving Washington’s solid waste management outcomes - HB 1131, SB 5154

The Washington Recycling and Packaging (WRAP) Act will modernize our recycling system by making producers of packaging and paper products responsible for their products' full lifecycle. It will incentivize producers to reduce unnecessary packaging and make packaging more sustainable; provide recycling access for residents across the state; and establish a redeemable deposit on beverage containers to improve the recycling of bottles and cans.

The Environment Committees of the House and Senate are scheduled to vote on the WRAP Act this week, but industry lobbyists are pushing hard to weaken key parts of the bill. Legislators need to hear from you! For more information, see Zero Waste Washington’s factsheet.

We are following the lead of Zero Waste Washington on these bills.

The two companion bills are both scheduled for Executive Session:
  • House Committee: Environment and Energy Executive Session
    Date: Thursday, February 2 at 8:00AM
  • Senate Committee: Environment, Energy & Technology Executive Session
    Date: Friday, February 3 at 8:00AM
Please call or email the following members of the Committee and ask them to SUPPORT HB 1131 / SB 5154.

✏️ Click here to send an email to all members of the House Committee.

✏️ Click here to send an email to all members of the Senate Committee.
If the above links did not work on your device, please address your emails to:

House (HB 1131):
Chair Rep. Beth Doglio (D-22) – (360) 786-7940 – beth.doglio@leg.wa.gov
Vice Chair Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-29) – (360) 786-7996 – sharlett.mena@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Liz Berry (D-36) – (360) 786-7860 – Liz.Berry@leg.wa.gov 
Rep. Davina Duerr (D-01) – (360) 786-7928 – Davina.Duerr@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Jake Fey (D-27) – (360) 786-7974 – Jake.Fey@leg.wa.gov 
Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-40) – (360) 786-7800 – Debra.Lekanoff@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Alex Ramel (D-40) – (360) 786-7970 – Alex.Ramel@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Vandana Slatter (D-48) – (360) 786-7936 – Vandana.Slatter@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Chipalo Street (D-37) – (360) 786-7838 – Chipalo.Street@leg.wa.gov

Senate (SB 5154): 
Chair Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-34) – (360) 786-7667 – Joe.Nguyen@leg.wa.gov 
Vice Chair Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-40) – (360) 786-7678 – Liz.Lovelett@leg.wa.gov 
Sen. John Lovick (D-44) – (360) 786-7686 – john.lovick@leg.wa.gov 
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-27) – (360) 786-7652 – yasmin.trudeau@leg.wa.gov
Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-41) – (360) 786-7641 – lisa.wellman@leg.wa.gov
If you’re calling and you reach voicemail, be sure to speak slowly and clearly and say the bill number (HB 1131 or SB 5154). Be sure to let them know if you are a constituent of their district!

📑 Script: I’m writing to ask Rep. [Name] to SUPPORT HB 1131 / SB 5154.

Please include the first talking point (below) which has important language coming from the coalition working on this legislation. Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below, or feel free to write your own:
  • I urge you to vote yes on the WRAP Act and to keep the policy as strong as possible. Please do not support amendments that would weaken the source reduction standards or the criteria for approving alternative recycling processes.
  • Plastic waste litters our shorelines and waterways, and more than half of Washington’s consumer paper and packaging ends up in landfills and incinerators.
  • The state’s recycling system has not kept pace with the avalanche of packaging created by manufacturers. By shifting the cost of recycling from residents to the companies that make the packaging decisions, this bill will incentivize companies to reduce unnecessary single-use packaging and use greener, more recyclable materials.
  • Recycling should be convenient, affordable and accessible. But only 58% of municipalities currently have curbside recycling services in Washington. This bill will help both expand equitable recycling access for residents across the state, including at apartments and rural areas, and reduce confusion by developing a clear list of what can be recycled statewide.
  • Decreasing the need to extract new resources helps frontline communities that often bear the brunt of environmental impacts from resource extraction.
  • This bill will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing our reuse and recycling rates. We save energy and decrease greenhouse gas emissions when items are made from recycled materials rather than new resources.

Question Title

* Did you call or email for HB 1131?

  I called to support HB 1131 I emailed to support HB 1131
Chair Rep. Beth Doglio (D-22)
Vice Chair Rep. Sharlett Mena (D-29)
Rep. Liz Berry (D-36)
Rep. Davina Duerr (D-01)
Rep. Jake Fey (D-27)
Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-40)
Rep. Alex Ramel (D-40)
Rep. Vandana Slatter (D-48)
Rep. Chipalo Street (D-37)

Question Title

* Did you call or email for SB 5154?

  I called to support SB 5154 I emailed to support SB 5154
Chair Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-34)
Vice Chair Sen. Liz Lovelett (D-40)
Sen. John Lovick (D-44)
Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-27)
Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-41)
📜 2. Prohibiting the imposition of minimum parking requirements except under certain circumstances - SB 5456

This bill prohibits minimum off-street parking requirements for housing that is built close to public transit stops. It strikes down local off-street parking mandates on new housing across the state within a half-mile of stations served by transit that operate every 15 minutes at peak weekday hours, and a quarter-mile from stations with 30-minute peak service. Eliminating minimum off-street parking requirements would allow more housing units to be built in spaces that would otherwise be occupied by vehicles. Flexible parking also supports low-cost housing, and is a significant step toward addressing Washington’s housing shortage.

We are following the lead of Homes4WA on this bill.

Scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs on Thursday, February 2, 10:30 AM.

✏️ Please sign in here by Thursday, February 2 at 9:30 AM and select “Pro” in the position button. This time is not a typo - the sign-in must be sent at least one hour BEFORE the hearing.

Question Title

* Did you sign in for HB 5456?

All done? Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom and click the orange “DONE” button to submit your actions!
We think these next two actions will take 5-10 minutes.
📜 3. Modeling, measurement, and reporting embodied carbon emission reductions from structural building products in state-funded projects - HB 1342

This bill, known as “Build Clean,” focuses on optimizing the embodied carbon of a large structure throughout its lifecycle, with an emphasis on the design phase of the project. The bill is intended to drive the design process to choose materials that optimize embodied carbon, but it is otherwise material neutral. It represents a perspective that the designers and builders are the best experts to implement such a policy. 

Overall, we would like to recognize that this is a bill worthy of support, but there is a competing bill (HB 1282, see in the next action) that also addresses embodied carbon and attempts to address some of the shortcomings of this bill. Therefore, we are asking folks to sign in as “other” and leave a comment.

This bill uses Environmental Products Declarations (EPDs) that rely on industry averages instead of source-based EDPs, which are stronger. It misses the opportunity to recognize and reward Washington manufacturers and wood harvesters in the State for green and sustainable forest management practices. The bill may also favor the timber industry and not address landscape forestry impacts.

350 WA CAT recommends this action.

Scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Capital Budget on Thursday, February 2, 1:30 PM.
✏️ Please sign in here as OTHER and leave a comment on this bill by Thursday, February 2, 12:30 PM.

✏️ Miss this deadline? You can still sign in here as “Other” and leave a comment before Friday, February 3, 1:30PM.

📑 The first sentence of the written comment should be: “I feel that HB 1342 has some shortcomings that need to be improved.” 

Then, choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below, or feel free to write your own:
  • “Build Clean” needs to be amended to use source-based Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for basic construction materials to drive innovation and reward Washington manufacturers likely to be producers of lower carbon products than industry standards.
  • This bill should focus on making it profitable for businesses to produce lower carbon products and make their products more recyclable or reusable.
  • By not accounting for source-specific embodied carbon for basic building commodities, the legislation will not be effective in incentivizing businesses to locate any new manufacturing in Washington with our advantages of a forward-looking clean energy policy and responsible forest stewardship.

Question Title

* Did you sign in and leave a comment for HB 1342?

📜 4. Requiring environmental and labor reporting for public building construction and renovation material - HB 1282

This bill, known as “Buy Clean, Buy Fair,” establishes environmental and labor reporting requirements for the construction or renovation of large public buildings. This bill emphasizes:
  • Optimizing the amount of embodied carbon throughout the lifecycle of the structure,
  • Improving human and environmental health,
  • Growing economic competitiveness, and
  • Promoting high labor standards in manufacturing by incorporating climate and other types of pollution impacts and the quality of working conditions into the procurement process.
The bill attempts to recognize and reward Washington manufacturers that promote high labor standards in manufacturing and preserve and expand low carbon materials manufacturing in Washington. This bill also has a companion bill, SB 5322.

Again, we want to recognize that there is another competing bill (HB 1342, seen in the previous action) that also addresses embodied carbon and is worthy of support. We think this bill attempts to address some of its shortcomings.

350 WA CAT recommends this action.

Scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Capital Budget on Thursday, February 2, 1:30 PM.

✏️ Please sign in here by Thursday, February 2 at 12:30 PM and select “Pro” in the position button.

Question Title

* Did you sign in for HB 1282?

All done? Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom and click the orange “DONE” button to submit your actions!
Have time for more? We think these last two actions will take about 10 minutes.
📜 5. Ending long-term solitary confinement - HB 1087

Almost 600 adults are held in solitary confinement in our state’s correctional facilities. This bill will significantly limit the circumstances and duration of involuntary solitary confinement in prisons and jails. The bill will also regulate voluntary solitary confinement in a more humane manner.

Solitary confinement has been shown to create significant and lasting psychological impacts. To quote from The Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law: “Solitary confinement is recognized as difficult to withstand; indeed, psychological stressors such as isolation can be as clinically distressing as physical torture.” Long-term solitary confinement may cause severe psychological consequences including depression, anxiety, paranoia, PTSD, psychosis, self-harm, and even suicide. It is disproportionately used against people of color and those with disabilities. Washington ended solitary confinement for juveniles in 2020. Now we should drastically limit its use against adults.

We are following the lead of ACLU of WA and Disability Rights WA on this bill.

Scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations on Thursday, February 2, 4:00 PM.

✏️ Please sign in here by Thursday, February 2 at 3:00 PM and select “Pro” in the position button.

Question Title

* Did you sign in for HB 1087?

📜 6. Promoting economic development of the aerospace industry through a committee empowered to advise on industry issues other than the siting of commercial airports - HB 1531

This bill requires the Director of the Department of Commerce to appoint and maintain an aviation and aerospace advisory committee. This committee would advise the Director of the Department of Commerce and the Secretary of the Department of Transportation on matters related to aviation and aerospace, other than the siting of a new primary commercial aviation facility.

We are following the lead of South Seattle Climate Action and the 350 Seattle Aviation Team.

Currently, the proposed list of committee members does not include individuals impacted by air and noise pollution from airports, and is heavily weighted towards individuals from the aviation and aerospace industry. Additionally, an Environmental Justice Lens has not been applied to this bill, as the HEAL Act requires.

Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Innovation, Community & Economic Development, & Veterans on Friday, February 3, 10:30 AM.

Please call or email the following members of the Committee and ask them to OPPOSE HB 1531.
✏️ Click here to send an email to all members of the Committee. 

If the above link did not work on your device, please address your emails to:

Chair Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-32) – (360) 786-7880 – cindy.ryu@leg.wa.gov
Vice Chair Rep. Brandy Donaghy (D-44) – (360) 786-7804 – brandy.donaghy@leg.wa.gov
Vice Chair Rep. Alicia Rule (D-42) – (360) 786-7980 – alicia.rule@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Julio Cortes (D-38) – (360) 786-7840 – julio.cortes@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Dave Paul (D-10) – (360) 786-7914 – dave.paul@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Tana Senn (D-41) – (360) 786-7894 – tana.senn@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Clyde Shavers (D-10) – (360) 786-7884 – clyde.shavers@leg.wa.gov
Rep. Chipalo Street (D-37) – (360) 786-7838 – chipalo.street@leg.wa.gov

If you’re calling and you reach voicemail, be sure to speak slowly and clearly and say the bill number (HB 1531). Be sure to let them know if you are a constituent of their district!
📑 Script: I’m writing to ask Rep. [Name] to OPPOSE HB 1531.

Then choose 1-2 additional sentences from the options below, or feel free to write your own:
  • Aviation is a leading cause of Greenhouse Gas emissions, but this bill focuses on the growth of the aerospace industry without considering the environmental concerns.
  • There is only one committee member out of more than 20 proposed members who would come from a “major environmental organization.” Given that this committee will be making recommendations related to our aerospace industry- including its growth - it is essential that this committee be knowledgeable about the importance of reducing greenhouse gasses and other pollutants. Protecting the health of our communities is central to its work.
  • The proposed membership of this advisory committee should be broadened to also include members of communities who live near airports, experts who are impacted by air and noise pollution from airports, and advocates for the health of these residents and for aviation operations that accord with the environmental justice requirements for aviation under federal law.
  • The HEAL Act requires an Environmental Justice lens be applied to all bills in this session and going forward. It has not been applied here.

Question Title

* Did you call or email for HB 1531?

  I called to oppose HB 1531 I emailed to oppose HB 1531
Chair Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-32)
Vice Chair Rep. Brandy Donaghy (D-44)
Vice Chair Rep. Alicia Rule (D-42)
Rep. Julio Cortes (D-38)
Rep. Dave Paul (D-10)
Rep. Tana Senn (D-41)
Rep. Clyde Shavers (D-10)
Rep. Chipalo Street (D-37)

Question Title

* Yay! You made it through another round of actions. Thank you for your work! Please let us know if you had any issues.

Please click “Done” so your actions are recorded.

-- The 350 WA Civic Action Team

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